The short answer
Buddy Punch Starter costs a $19 monthly base plus $4.99 per user billed annually, and it sends hours to 20 payroll and accounting systems. QuickBooks Time Premium costs $20 a month plus $10 per user, and it needs a QuickBooks Online subscription.
QuickBooks Time plans and pricesAlternatives to QuickBooks Time
LeadChange Score: editorial assessment based on public information.
Buddy Punch wins 2QuickBooks Time wins 11 tie
| Dimension | Buddy Punch | QuickBooks Time |
|---|---|---|
| PricingBuddy Punch Starter is a $19 base plus $4.99 per user a month billed annually; Pro is $6.99 per user. QuickBooks Time Premium is $20 plus $10 per user and Elite $40 plus $12, on top of a QuickBooks Online subscription. | $19/mo + $4.99/employee/mo (Starter plan) | $20/mo + $10/employee/mo (Time Premium plan) |
| IntegrationsBuddy Punch lists 20 integrations, among them QuickBooks Online and Desktop, ADP Workforce Now, Gusto, Paychex and Workday. QuickBooks Time is built around QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Payroll. 20 | 20 native | 3 documented |
| SecurityQuickBooks Time falls under Intuit’s company-level SOC 2 Type II report. Buddy Punch offers single sign-on through Google, Apple, Okta or OneLogin. Yes | None verified | SOC 2 |
| Fit and supportBuddy Punch is built for small businesses and answers by chat and email. QuickBooks Time serves small and midsize businesses, by phone and chat. Small businesses | Small businesses | Small businesses, mid-market companies |
| Attribute | Buddy Punch | QuickBooks Time |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Small businesses | Small businesses, mid-market companies |
| Mobile apps | iOS, Android, ChromeOS | iOS, Android |
| Support channels | Chat, email | Phone, chat |
| Founded | 2013 | 1984 |
| Headquarters | Appleton, Wisconsin, US | Mountain View, California, US |
| Attribute | Buddy Punch | QuickBooks Time |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Base fee + per employee | Base fee + per employee |
| Price transparency | Published | Published |
| Free trial | ||
| Free plan | ||
| Contract term | Monthly | Monthly |
| Employees | Buddy Punch Starter | QuickBooks Time Premium |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | $68.90/mo (lowest) | $120/mo |
| 50 | $268.50/mo (lowest) | $520/mo |
| 200 | $1,017/mo (lowest) | $2,020/mo |
Monthly list price of each product’s entry plan with published per-employee pricing.
Pricing. Buddy Punch Starter is a $19 base plus $4.99 per user a month billed annually; Pro is $6.99 per user. QuickBooks Time Premium is $20 plus $10 per user and Elite $40 plus $12, on top of a QuickBooks Online subscription.
Capabilities. Both track time on mobile apps with GPS and a kiosk.
Integrations. Buddy Punch lists 20 integrations, among them QuickBooks Online and Desktop, ADP Workforce Now, Gusto, Paychex and Workday. QuickBooks Time is built around QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Payroll.
Security. QuickBooks Time falls under Intuit’s company-level SOC 2 Type II report. Buddy Punch offers single sign-on through Google, Apple, Okta or OneLogin.
Fit and support. Buddy Punch is built for small businesses and answers by chat and email. QuickBooks Time serves small and midsize businesses, by phone and chat.
TCP Humanity has the highest LeadChange Score in Time & Attendance Software after excluding these two (8.3/10).
From $2.75/employee/mo
Yes. TSheets is now called QuickBooks Time, and Intuit sells it as part of QuickBooks. Buddy Punch is an independent time clock from Appleton, Wisconsin, founded in 2013.
Buddy Punch. Its Starter plan comes to $68.90 a month for 10 users: the $19 base plus $4.99 each, billed annually. QuickBooks Time Premium comes to $120: $20 plus $10 per user. QuickBooks Time also needs a QuickBooks Online subscription, priced separately.
QuickBooks Time requires a QuickBooks Online account. Buddy Punch does not: it exports hours to QuickBooks Online or Desktop, and also to ADP, Gusto, Paychex, Paylocity and others.
Small and midsize businesses that keep their books and payroll in QuickBooks. Its Elite plan adds project tracking, estimates against actuals and GPS mileage.
QuickBooks Time is covered by Intuit’s SOC 2 Type II report, published at company level. We have no stored certification for Buddy Punch, which does not mean it has none; it offers single sign-on and IP address locking on punches.
Among the time clocks we review, we also compare QuickBooks Time with Connecteam, Homebase and ClockShark. Against Buddy Punch, its case is the direct link to QuickBooks; Buddy Punch’s is the lower price and the choice of payroll.
Yes, both list a free trial.
Your team size, what matters most and your role: see which one fits more of your answers, from verified facts and list prices. Then, if you like, ask to hear from both.
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What the LeadChange Score means
A 0–10 editorial assessment built only from verified facts, across six weighted dimensions: capabilities, pricing, integrations, security, fit and support, and data confidence.
Payments, commissions and lead fees are never inputs.
